diff --git a/update_manager/real_system_provider.cc b/update_manager/real_system_provider.cc
index a900071..39eba22 100644
--- a/update_manager/real_system_provider.cc
+++ b/update_manager/real_system_provider.cc
@@ -64,9 +64,10 @@
     std::unique_ptr<T> result(new T());
     if (!func_.Run(result.get())) {
       if (failed_attempts_ >= kRetryPollVariableMaxRetry) {
-        // Give up on the retries, set back the desired polling interval and
-        // return the default.
+        // Give up on the retries and set back the desired polling interval.
         this->SetPollInterval(base_interval_);
+        // Release the result instead of returning a |nullptr| to indicate that
+        // the result could not be fetched.
         return result.release();
       }
       this->SetPollInterval(
diff --git a/update_manager/real_system_provider_unittest.cc b/update_manager/real_system_provider_unittest.cc
index f654f7a..3996b65 100644
--- a/update_manager/real_system_provider_unittest.cc
+++ b/update_manager/real_system_provider_unittest.cc
@@ -119,6 +119,22 @@
       std::string(kRequiredPlatformVersion),
       provider_->var_kiosk_required_platform_version());
 }
+
+TEST_F(UmRealSystemProviderTest, KioskRequiredPlatformVersionRepeatedFailure) {
+  // Simulate unreadable platform version. The variable should return a
+  // null pointer |kRetryPollVariableMaxRetry| times and then return an empty
+  // string to indicate that it gave up.
+  constexpr int kNumMethodCalls = 5;
+  EXPECT_CALL(*kiosk_app_proxy_mock_, GetRequiredPlatformVersion)
+      .Times(kNumMethodCalls + 1)
+      .WillRepeatedly(Return(false));
+  for (int i = 0; i < kNumMethodCalls; ++i) {
+    UmTestUtils::ExpectVariableNotSet(
+        provider_->var_kiosk_required_platform_version());
+  }
+  UmTestUtils::ExpectVariableHasValue(
+      std::string(""), provider_->var_kiosk_required_platform_version());
+}
 #else
 TEST_F(UmRealSystemProviderTest, KioskRequiredPlatformVersion) {
   UmTestUtils::ExpectVariableHasValue(